Joseph kellneb



(No Model.)

J. KELLNER FIRE ESCAPE.

I Patented Apr. 4%??? INVENTOR WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY n. PETERS. PhnwLRhugnphnr. Wuhillgimv. n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH KELLNER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, HENRY SIEDENTOP, AND PETER NICOLAY, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 256,004, dated April 4, 1882.

Application filed January 27, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH KELLNER, of Jersey City Heights,in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an improved fire-escape for public and private buildings, such as hotels, apartment and tenement houses,

&c.; and itconsists of a fixed rail supported on brackets below the cornice ot' the building, from which a traversing guide-frame is suspended by means of traveling hangers. lower part of the guide-frame travels by a con- I5 tact-roller along the wall of the building, and

- is retained by a guard-rail arranged above the first story. The guide-frame is traversed in either direction by means of wire ropes or chains, which are guided over pulleys and wound up by suitable means, so as to place the frame in line with any desired vertical tier of windows. A vertically-movable safety-basket is raised or lowered on the vertical guide-frame by a suitable hoisting device to the exact win dow desired. The lower part of the guideframe is provided with a spring-acted cushionplate, by which the concussion of the basket is softened.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved fireescape, and Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on line 00 at, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents a horizontal guide-rail, which is attached by strong brackets a to the wall of the building, below the cornice of the same. From the rail A is suspended a traversing guide-frame, B, by means of a car- 0 riage or hangers, G, which are provided with a top plate or inclosing casing, b, for protecting it against the rain. The traversing guideframe B is made of strong side rods, preferably formed of gas-pipe, and of transverse top and bottom pieces,the lower partof the guideframe being guided along the wall of the building by means of a horizontal roller, (1, which is supported in a. bracket, (1, of the bottom piece, and retained by a fixed guard-rail, B,

applied to the wall of the building above the- The (No model.)

first story. The guide-frame B is traversed in either direction by means of chains or wire ropes e e, which are attached to each end of the carriage U and passed over guide-pulleys e at the ends of the top rail, A, said pulleys 5 v having guards to prevent the chains or wire ropes from escaping from the pulleys.

By winding up the lower ends ofthe chains or wire ropes e 6 upon a drum or other suitable mechanism the vertical guide-frame is 63 moved along the wall of the building to any position required. The fixed top rail, A, may also be extended in a curve around the corners of the building to the side walls thereof, in which case the carriage has to be made of 65 two articulated portions, so as to pass with the guide-framearound the corners of the build lng.

On the vertical rods of the guide-frame B is guided a safety-basket,D, whichis ofsufficient size to accommodate several persons, the hasketD being raised by a hoisting rope, chain, or other hoisting-gear, which passes over the pulleyf of the carriage O, and is retained at any desired height of the building by suitable means.

By means of the traversing guide-frameand hoisting-gear the basket D may be raised and retained at any window of any story, so as to take up persons or articles to be saved, the basket being then lowered along the guideframe. The basket may also be used by the firemen to get as near as possible to the fire. The transverse bottom piece of the guide-frame B is provided with a spring-cushion, g, for the purpose of softening the concussion of the hasket when the same arrives at the lowermost position on its guide-frame. In connection with the basketis usedaladderorother means, which is lowered so as to establish the connection with the ground.

Having thus described myinvention,Iclaim as newand desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. In a tire-escape, the combination of fixed top and bottom guide-rails,a traversingguide. 5 frame, means for moving the same in either direction on the guide-rails, a vertically-movable safety-basket guided on the traversingframe, and means for hoisting orlowering the basket, substantially as described. 109

2. In a fire-escape, the combination of a vermy invention I have signed my name in prestical traversing guide-frame, having a springence of two subscribing witnesses. cushioned plate at the lower part with a vertically-movable safety-basket and means for JOSEPH KELLSDR' hoisting or lowering the same, substantially Witnesses:

as set forth. 7 PAUL GOEPEL, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as CARL KARP. 

